As I begin to write this, I am sitting on a plane ready to depart from Paris after a long 4 day vacation. I haven't slept in 24 hours, yet my brain is still racing from what turned out to be not just a vacation, but a journey to the depths of the Parisian Fetish world. After spending three days exploring Paris, including the Louvre and Notre Dame, I wrapped up the week with an unexpected and unplanned opportunity to photograph the self-proclaimed biggest Fetish event in France – Nuit Demonia.

I originally planned to visit Paris on a short vacation, to check off a couple of things on my list of things I need to do before I die. Little did I know that my trip overlapped with a gathering of fetish models, Dommes, and visitors from around the globe. When I checked out the official Nuit Demonia website, I saw that a few friends were also going to be attending, including Kumi Monster and Mistress Dante Posh from NYC. After a couple of emails back and forth with Laurence Dorra and Francis Dedobbeleer, the organizers of the event, I was invited to photograph!

The evening before the party, I met Kumi for some drinks, where she introduced me to a number of international friends of hers, including Mistress Dahlia, Her submissive Moira, and Her American-born friend and videographer Ric Sanchez who flew all the way from Japan to make Her European debut. This was the first time this gorgeous Japanese Dominatrix had been outside of Japan, where She produces a stunning line of corsets under Her company's name Visona Viseri . I felt an immediate kinship with the trio, and spent much of that night and at Nuit Demonia with them where I was given the opportunity to observe and photograph Her exquisite shibari rope skills up-close.

I'm jumping a bit ahead of myself, so let me first try to describe what made Nuit Demonia one of the most exhilarating Fetish events I've attended all year.

I arrived at the famous Paris disco - La Loco, which is right next to the Moulin Rouge, around 3:00 in the afternoon to photograph the rehearsal and try to get a few shots of the performers before the evening began. About 2000 people were expected to attend, and Loco was the perfect spot for an evening of dancing and playing. The lowest level of the venue was where the dungeon was located, and there were plenty of unique places to tie people up or strap them down. The dungeon held a large variety of toys and furniture, set into a recessed area that was roped off from the crowd who watched from above. I was given special access to the dungeon, where I was permitted to photograph some of the most intense public BDSM performances I've ever experienced. One rule I had to abide by was that no photography was permitted of the crowd. Usually, I enjoy photographing the attendees, but this night I was limited to photograph only the performances on stage, the fashion shows, and the dungeon itself. Even with this strict limitation, I still managed to take over 1000 pictures that I spent two full days editing and narrowing down to a reasonable gallery for you.

On the main stage, fetish fashion designers from France, Germany, Spain, and Japan, presented their latest designs in a two-hour barrage of performances before the packed crowd. The designer's included Boutique Demonia, Sylvain Coeur-Jolly, Patrice Catanzaro, Mademoiselle Ilo, Visona Viseri, Bibian Blue, Fetish Universe, Swanilda, Samael S., Damien De Man, Justine Nagoi, Hedony Design, Princess Madison, Julian, Caywear, and Medusa. I was in a prime position to capture most of the models, which you can see in the photo gallery.

After the main event, I returned to the dungeon.

By this time, it was 1:00 in the morning, and the party was just getting started. Down on the dungeon floor, Shibari masters suspended one beautiful woman after the next…often three or more half-naked women were dangling bound in rope at the same time. On one side of the dungeon, intricate rope suspensions took place, while on the other an array of beautiful Dommes were treating the crowd to demonstrations of their sadistic skills. Anticipated S&M performers included: Maitresse Salem, Mistress Shane, Mistress Brigitte, Maitresse Nadia, Maitresse Anya, Miss Hazel, Mistress V, Shadow, Clo& Phil, Patrick Vich, Philippe Boxis, Clochette, Dahlia, Chantal – Ropemarks, Moira, Esinem, Musiclover, Bob– Ropemarks, and Jenis. Submissives were being spanked, flogged, and humiliated before hundreds of onlookers. This was Paris, where sexual attitudes are much less repressed than in America . Here anything goes. To the left of me, one man became the human toilet for Mistress Dante Posh as She trampled his semi-flaccid penis while sitting on Her throne. To the right, a busty blonde woman's head was between the thighs of an equally voluptuous brunette while hot wax was drizzled over the pair. In a fascinating display of Shibari mastery, Shadow bound and suspended herself and Mistress Dahlia showed Her European counterparts how a Japanese ropemaster (or would that be ropeMistress?) ties and belittles Her submissive.

The guests dressed in latex, leather, PVC or nothing at all, and I was once again struck by the differences between most US Fetish parties and European openness. Whereas here in the “land of the free” the flash of a nipple is taboo, in Europe nudity and sexuality are not something to be ashamed of. And forget the stereotype of the rude Frenchman. Though I speak an embarrassingly small amount of French, the French fetish people embraced me as one of the family. That, I find, is true of the fetish lifestyle in general. Each person's particular fetish is respected, whether they find comfort in crossdressing, infantilism, bondage and discipline, submission or dominance, whether they have a foot fetish, enjoy nipple torture, or just like to spank or be spanked, each person is able to find his or her place within the community. It doesn't matter what the person looks like, or whether they even speak the same language, those who wish to delve into that part of themselves are able to do so in a safe, consensual, and loving way. If you look through my gallery of the evening's events, or through any fetish event that I have photographed over the past couple of years, you will see a range of emotions on the faces of those who make this choice. Look past the pain, and into the joy of their release. You'll see laughter, trust, and respect in their eyes.

My hero for the evening is one man who found his niche and embraced it fully: Dr. Boot & Feet. Set up in a corner of the dungeon area, Dr. B&F had a line of beautiful women with sore and tired feet, just aching for a massage. He was dressed in a lab coat with knee-high riding boots. Each time I passed his station, he was fully engaged in the dutiful massage of another beautiful woman's feet. Of course, his services were free.

Unlike in the States, in Paris there is apparently no closing time. It was 7:00 in the morning before I finally made my way back to my hotel, and the party was still rolling. I packed my bag, had my last loaf of bread, and last cup of the most delicious coffee in the world, and made it to the airport for my long flight home. I'm still thinking of all that I accomplished this week. My head is throbbing, my back is stiff, and I could really use a good foot massage. Dr. Boot & Feet, where are you when I need you?!

Click here to see the entire Nuit Demonia 2006 photo gallery.